Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-24
$50, so! You quarreled /! About the

swell, yes. He was jealOus-and said
things-and wanted to know if / was en-
gaged-and made himself disagreeable
generally. 1t isn't pleasant to keep two
men apart who hate each other mortally
and somehow-to like one better than
the other, and yet neither altogether"
very hard, doubt not" said I, and
while saying it I was surprised to detect
bitterness in my tone.
II understand what you mean," she said
quickly, ''but you don't know everything,
and me least of ALL"
II withdraw the least suspicion of
irony you may have thought to -detec in
what [ said"
"That is right; now you are my good
old dear, to whom 1 can say anything I
choose. Know, then, Haroun al Raschild !"
Il started at the playful name she used
the winter before, when for about three
weeks 1 lived series Of Arabian Nights
until she cured me suddenly, "know,
then, Haroun al Raschild, that l am sure
l do love Jack after all, and would rather
see his sulky face ten minutes than Harry
Ell day long"
(which can be taken two ways" quoth
to myself.
81 am i'll and dispirited. Harry is deep
the way, you must go too; will not hear
no. And I believe he is questioning
whether he is not throwing himself away
on me. sent tic ket to Jack, but I
feel he won't come: he detests dancing and
thinks Delmonico balls low-just imag
ine!-there is no pride like pauper's is
there?-but then I've been far from well
fer the last two weeks. Of course it can
not be love; no b ody gets i'll from love,
you know: but all can tell you is that
have been in a wretched frame of mind
ever since l saw you last, and that your
ugly old face was as welcome-as welcome
as a steamer chair to q drowning per-
son-therer'
[ bent formally enough over the little
fragment of a hand stiff in its glove, and
repressed sigh. Ugly! ill-dressed!
queer! And once too, dreamed dreams
which this marvel of youth and beauty
never SO much as suspected.
II will go-and with your party-and
you must give me one dance in the hail."
[ cried with all reasonable gayety. And
go L did.
It was like other balls of the kind.
There were the young women whom their
own families ''boom" as beauties, and
those whom society at large has con-
vention to call beauties. There were
those whom the reporters for some oc-
cult reason always push forward in the
newspaper reports, and the bellies from
Boston and New Orleans who are not
recognized as such in New York. There
were the English people whom all other
English say are considered quite second
rate in London There was the big
black crowd of men, the blase and the
timid, stupidity blocking the doorways,
and there was that quick-eyed, quick
heeled, quick-motioned, but alas! not
quickwitted army of youths and men
the size of youths, the reason for whose
existence is a mystery.
Happy gnomes! who would begrudge
you your unblushing assurance, your
biithe frivolity?
Well, I would for one, whenever you
sail off in the dance with woman who
looks as if she were made for great
things, but whose mouth, full of pearls,
never by any chance let's drop pearl of
speech; a woman who looks built to do
good to others, but whose education by
foolish parents, or whose ingrained ma
ture, never leaves her room to think with
pure unselfishness of anyone but her
lovely self! But hush, that is treason
and heresy!
Talking staidly to dowagers on the dais
and watching the atmosphere thicken
with dust and perfumes and the fine
carnations from whilrling robes, soon
placed Jack, and recognizing in him q
stalwart young fellow who Was too poor
to belong to the giddy rout, but too proud
to be gentleman.
I saw the whole tragedy; how he would
steal a Saturday and Sunday from the
sweltering town only to find Marion's
time taken by the comparatively rich
Harry during all his stay; how he became
madly In love and madly jealous; how he
fumed to Marion and threatened to beat
Harry as sound as carpet of which he
was knight; how Marion had to resent
his foolish talk; how they quarreled to
make it up, and quarreled to make it up
heartily no more.
He followed her with his eyes,
devouring the figure of the one Sc con-
sidered lost, yet purposely stood so that
she could not see him. To do her JUS
tice she was on the lookout for him, and
more than once stood irresolute, a beauti-
full statue of hesitation, mastering the
blackcoats with the hope that he might
shoulder his big way through the starve-
lings at the door. He saw it, too, con-
lOcuO HIN! anu IL gave uiuu Iedlly Uo-
lieve, mean sort of pie asure. Once or
twice she waved favor in my direction,
but / bowed q negative and an apol
ogy.
Then 1 saw Jack edge round to the
head of the cotillion and knew he meant
to surprise her with a favor. He was not
in the dance but he had the right by
courtesy to an extra turn which any lead
er of the cottillion who is a gentleman at
heart is glad to recognize i'll men who
have no partner. He was about to take
a favor from the rack, now almost denud-
ed of its brilliant burden, when Harry
came up.
Harry had no partner, since the weight
of cares on the shoulders of leader is
too great to make it possible for him to
do his work thoroughly and attend to a
companion.
Harry arrested his arm, and 1 saw Jack
turn away with a bla,k look that ought to
have set Harry thinking. Jack strobe
over to Marion. l saw her rise, little
frightened, a little bewildered. and off